


Darkness in the Windy City: Viv's Extras

by OnaDacora



Category: Chronicles of Darkness (Games), World of Darkness (Games)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Mortals Game, Self-Indulgent Shippy Nonsense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-11-21 16:49:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11361552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnaDacora/pseuds/OnaDacora
Summary: This is a collection of extra things I've written for a World of Darkness/Chronicles of Darkness game that I have the pleasure of being a part of, pertaining to my character Vivian Stone. They didn't fit in with the narrative flow that we have established for how we've been cataloging the story, so I'm putting them here!Roughly in chronological order.





	1. Sarah Altman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This first bit is set before the start of the game, and features Sarah Altman, Viv's friend who's death is what sends Viv headlong into the world of the supernatural a few months later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the whole story for the game in the [Main Story Masterpost](https://chronicdelusionistsart.tumblr.com/post/162450047694/darkness-in-the-windy-city-masterpost).

“Sarah--”

“What? There’s no rush.”

“Sarah, you said you needed help.”

“I do. I need you to help me help _you_.”

“You said you needed help with a _test_.”

“Yes, testing a hairstyle on you that isn’t, like, ‘clipped back just enough to keep it out of your eyes’ or ‘I’m pretty sure I brushed it this morning’.”

Vivian arches a brow, clutching her hairbrush behind her back as Sarah rests her hands on her hips, arching her own brow in return as she tips her head to the side in a characteristically exasperated look. They’re facing each other down in Viv’s bedroom, her back to her bed as Sarah takes a step closer and brushes her long hair out of her eyes. 

“So you’re saying you’re _not_ still at risk of failing your chemistry lab?” Viv presses, clutching the brush tighter and taking a step backwards, her legs hitting the side of the mattress.

“Well, that’s why I’ve got _you_ , right? Miss chemistry genius.” She holds out her hand, curling her fingers in a ‘give that to me’ gesture. “I’ll make you a deal: you let me fix up your hair, then you can torture me with your own personalized, like, chemistry _lecture_ or whatever.”

Viv squints at her for a moment, momentarily distracted by a bright, glowing smile. As though Sarah was offering her everything she could ever want. And, to be honest, she knew she wasn’t going to tell her no. She almost never told Sarah _no_ . “I feel like I’m being _used_ somehow,” Viv mutters under her breath with very little conviction. She relaxes her arm and starts to bring the brush out from behind her back, and Sarah is quick to dive in close to reach around her and grab it, that already bright smile just growing somehow _brighter_.

“You love it, don’t complain,” Sarah says, pushing her gently towards the bed. “Sit down, where are your scissors?”

Doing as she was told, it takes her a moment to register Sarah’s words as she turns to head out the door towards the tiny dorm kitchen. “Scissors?” she blurts out, alarmed.

“Don’t freak out, I just want to clean up your ends,” she calls back, and Viv can hear the sound of her digging through drawers. “Nevermind, found them!”

When Sarah comes back into view, wielding a pair of scissors that Viv honestly doesn’t remember buying and a hand towel, one hand goes reflexively to the ends of her hair. It _has_ gotten a little longer than she normally likes --brushing her shoulders when it would normally be closer to her jawline-- and _maybe_ she could have gone to the salon or something, but… She gives her friend a dubious look. “Hey, are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Of course I do,” she says with an air of confidence, climbing onto the bed next to her. The mattress caves under her weight, knocking their shoulders together as Sarah laughs, giving her a playful shove. Viv shoves her back, mirroring that smile. As she settles in behind her, close enough that Viv can feel her knees against her hips, she’s especially glad that Sarah can’t see her face as she lays the towel across her shoulders and runs her fingers through her hair. “I used to cut my sister’s hair all the time. Nothing’s cheaper than free, right? Eventually even mom had me cutting her hair, just to save money. I got pretty good, I think.”

That catches Viv a little off-guard, and she almost flinches when the brush touches the top of her head to pull her hair back from her face. Sarah just smooths out her hair with careful strokes, oblivious to the myriad of jumbled thoughts running around in Viv’s head. One part of her is preoccupied with _Sarah_ (her hands in her hair, her legs against her hips, the way her forearms kept resting on her shoulders for just a moment as she’d take a second to consider _something_ ) while the other is trying to wrap her mind around the idea of Sarah having to cut her family’s hair just to save money.

“You mentioned your family was poor before, but--”

“Viv, don’t worry about it,” Sarah says, laughing. “Seriously. Like, _don’t_. It’s no big deal.”

She isn’t sure what to say to that. So she decides not to say anything.

“Just means I need to listen to you and let you help me with chemistry before I, like, flunk out and lose one of my scholarships,” she says quietly, the silence after her words punctuated with the first sound of scissors slicing through strands of hair. “I mean, I guess I could always become a beautician,” she adds with a touch of sarcasm.

“You’d be wasted in a salon,” Viv insists, wishing she could turn around to look at her. More cutting and the cold brush of metal across the side of her neck makes her shiver.

“Might be fun. Talking to new people all day, helping people feel good about themselves.” Viv can hear the smile in Sarah’s voice as she continues her work on her hair. “Pay’s shit, though.”

“Seriously.”

Sarah laughs, she can feel it through the mattress. “Not that teachers get paid much better.”

“No, but you get to work on a human schedule, and it just _sounds_ more respectable.”

“Who cares if it sounds respectable, so long as you’re happy doing what you’re doing, right?”

Viv makes a noncommittal noise, hesitant to openly disagree.

But Sarah knows better. She laughs again, giving Viv’s hair a playful tug. “We can’t _all_ be super-smart chemists, Vivian.”

“We can’t all be super-great teachers who adore kids, either, _Sarah_ ,” she counters.

“Or beauticians.”

“Or beauticians,” she begrudgingly agrees, and they both laugh.

There’s a moment of easy silence between them, punctuated by the snipping sounds of the scissors and a faint bassline coming from the door next to her. Her dorms, reserved for grad students, had a fairly strict sound policy, but tended to be more lenient during daylight hours. It wasn’t loud enough to be worth complaining about, anyway. The pause in conversation is long enough that Viv is once again distinctly aware of Sarah’s proximity, of the repetitive, soothing contact that would have been almost uncomfortable if she’d been at a salon.

“Are you doing anything tomorrow night?” Sarah asks, and Viv isn’t sure if that casual tone in her voice is sincere or practiced. Knowing Sarah, it could be either.

“Um, lecturing you more about chemistry?” Viv guesses.

“ _No way_ , Matt said he was going to be at the club tomorrow night, and I’m _pretty_ sure he was trying to get me to go,” Sarah says, and Viv can feel the request before she even hears it. “But I don’t want go go alone, promise me you’ll come with me!”

“I mean, I’ve got a lot--”

“Maybe we can find a cute guy for you too,” she continues, ignoring her weak protest. “I don’t think you’ve dated _anyone_ since I met you.”

“Well, I mean…” Viv could say a lot of things in response to that. ‘I don’t have time’ or ‘I haven’t met the right person’. But those would be lies. She’s spending time with the right person right now. “Sarah, didn’t you just say you needed to listen to me about this whole chemistry thing?” she says, desperately changing the subject.

“Sure, but that doesn’t mean we can’t go out and have fun, too.” Sarah wraps her arms around Viv, resting her chin on her shoulder. “Pleeeeeease say you’ll go with me.”

Feeling her face warm, despite knowing that Sarah only wants to go to meet up with some _boy_ , Viv feels her already flimsy resolve weaken further. “You only want me to go so I can buy you drinks,” she mutters, her final line of defense. Sarah’s four years younger than her, after all. Only twenty.

“You know that’s not true. You need to buy _you_ drinks too. Have fun sometimes. And, like, I trust you to stop me from doing something stupid, like going home with Matt,” she says, giggling. “Unless he really plays his cards right.”

“Sarah--”

“Come _on_ , Viv. I need you there.”

Letting out a haggard sigh, she reaches up to grasp Sarah’s arms, giving them a reassuring squeeze. “Fine, okay, fine. You better make sure my hair doesn’t look stupid.”

Sarah lets out a thin squeal of delight, hugging her tighter before releasing her, making Viv blush that much harder. “You’re the best!”

“This just means we have to work extra hard tonight.”

“Ugh, you’re the _worst_.”


	2. Night Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during Story 4, when Maddox stays the night in Viv's room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the whole story for the game in the [Main Story Masterpost](https://chronicdelusionistsart.tumblr.com/post/162450047694/darkness-in-the-windy-city-masterpost).

The house was quiet. It was hard to believe that just an hour ago there was a ghost downstairs, screeching, and a few hours before that the bloody corpse that belonged to said ghost was shoved through their basement door. (Shoved? Or had the man forced his way through with the last of his strength?)

Viv owed the ghost for her current situation; Maddox was settled in a sleeping bag on the floor, feet away from where Viv was tucked under her covers, acutely aware of every inch separating them. A foolish, lovesick,  _ infatuated _ part of her wanted to get out of bed, or invite Maddox into it, or to just…  _ say _ something, but instead she just listened to her breathe, and shift, and at one point clear her throat and give a soft sigh. She was probably asleep now, oblivious to Viv’s struggles.

Which, honestly, was probably for the best. Maddox had sounded tired the second she’d called her, and the rest of the night had done her no favors. Maddox was still readjusting to Chicago time and here Viv was, calling her into one of their messes and getting her fully mired into it, thanks to Maddox’s job. A job made harder by Viv going along with Paige’s idea to move the body, and-- 

No. There wasn’t any point dwelling on that. Maddox had already forgiven her mistake, and sitting --laying-- and wishing it hadn’t happened wouldn’t fix it. All Viv could do was do  _ better _ .  _ Be _ better. For Maddox. Because the last thing she wanted to do was disappoint her (or Paige or Neil or her parents or  _ anyone _ ). But Maddox especially. How could she ever see her as anything but a student, a  _ child _ , if she kept behaving like one?

She’d been able to redeem herself a little with her quick thinking about the ghost, as far as she could tell. But the whole encounter had left Maddox unsettled. Not that Viv could blame her, until the three of them had stumbled into her life, Maddox had kept to a specific class of supernatural-- and kicked ass. Now she was facing down ghosts and the Shatter and god knows what else. The College would be over first thing and Neil had mentioned contacting the Malleus Maleficarum and as much as she hoped to find Jacob safe and sound the idea of him and Maddox meeting made Viv feel strangely uncomfortable. She wasn’t sure why.

Viv rolled onto her side, facing the center of the room, and resisted the urge to try and look at Maddox in the faint light that filtered through the windows. She was so close,  _ right there _ , and yet still as unattainable as ever.

But, she could still try. To prove herself, to impress her, to… To do anything she could to help Maddox tomorrow (and after) the way she’d helped  _ her _ since she’d first contacted her.

She’d found the business card almost a week after the camping trip disaster, when Viv was sorting through her laundry. The thought that Maddox was the only other telepath she’d met  _ had _ crossed her mind, but she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to contact her again. And then she’d shaken the bent card out of her jeans pocket and she realized she had a chance.

Paige and Neil encouraged it, when she asked them for their opinions. Paige was grateful that Maddox had let them leave before her people had shown up to scour the place and had thus earned Paige’s respect. And Neil had nothing against her, so Viv had called.

Maddox had been surprised to hear from her, but agreed to teach her more about her gift. And somewhere between being strangers and eventually friends, Viv realized she’d gotten herself tangled up in a huge crush with a woman who she regularly allowed into her mind. (How could Maddox  _ not _ know? And if she  _ did _ , why hadn’t she said something? That worried Viv more than she liked.) But she’d done this before. With Neil and Paige and Sarah and even people  _ before _ Sarah. She’d hid her feelings until they… went away. Buried beneath responsibility and friendship so deep they couldn’t torture her anymore. Smothered and ignored.

But she’d never had anyone  _ encouraging _ her feelings before, like Paige and Neil did. Teasing and prodding at those embers, rekindling them until Viv felt like maybe, just  _ maybe _ Maddox could have feelings for her too.

Nothing had ever felt so dangerous as ‘maybe’.

Maddox let out a soft, slow breath and Viv wondered if she was already asleep. Steeling herself, biting her lip, she shifted just enough to look down where Maddox lay.

She was on her side, facing Viv’s bed, brown hair loose across the borrowed pillow. It was strangely intimate, seeing her like that; every time she’d seen her, her hair was up in a ponytail. Her eyes were closed, expression relaxed, with one hand tucked under her chin.

Viv stayed there for a moment, just looking at her, almost certainly longer than could be considered polite, and felt with a slow, weighty certainty that no matter the reason why, or whatever guilt she might feel for involving Maddox in the first place, that she was so  _ glad _ to have her here.

She hoped Maddox knew just how much.


	3. The Relationship Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viv and Maddox finally have that talk, set during Interlude 2.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the whole story for the game in the [Main Story Masterpost](https://chronicdelusionistsart.tumblr.com/post/162450047694/darkness-in-the-windy-city-masterpost).

This was it.

Standing in front of Maddox’s door, heart pounding as she clenched the key to Maddox’s car in her hand, Viv knew that this was the moment. She’d said she wanted to talk as soon as Viv’s parents were gone, and now they were and she was returning her car and now she’d find out why Maddox had sounded so cautious when Viv had told her how she felt. It scared her, the not knowing; more than the fear of what she might learn. That’s what pushed her forward. That and the possibility promised in the words, ‘this isn’t a no’.

She just needed to know why it hadn’t been a ‘yes’.

Viv knocked, and it was only a moment before she heard the scrape of the lock and Maddox was there, letting her in with a distracted smile, rubbing her shoulder. As she went inside Viv could see why: her paperwork and laptop were spread across her coffee table, where Maddox had no doubt been hunched over it all just moments before. Scattered amidst it all were three mugs of half-drunk coffee, and Viv had to fight the urge to ask her if she’d eaten.

Maddox came up beside her, letting out a soft sigh as she followed Viv’s gaze, then turned to her. "So how did your visit with your parents go?" she asked, taking the car key as it was held out for her.

"Um. Okay, aside from apparently my dad's being contracted by Aeon,” Viv said, her jaw tensing as her anxiousness over talking with Maddox made way for other concerns. Maddox would understand the gravity of the situation, she knew that much. She’d told her everything there was to know about her earlier encounters with the Aeon Corporation, the connections she’d found to the disappearance and death of her friend Sarah, and their ties to the Cheiron Group. 

“Huh,” was Maddox’s only reply, but Viv could see the way her attention sharpened, focusing on her fully.

"Yeah. And while he's staying up here working, he's going to be in a building owned by Knight. Which, if you recall from what I mentioned before, it's..." Viv sighed. Knight Industries had given them trouble before, and had strong ties with Aeon. And now they’d have their hands on her father. "Yeah, it's complicated."

"Oh." Maddox hesitated, her brow furrowed with concern. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Viv shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest and glancing down at the floor. "I'm worried, but I don't have any reason to think that it's…” Trailing off, she shook her head. “They contacted him about the job before Sarah even... Before Sarah died, so it's not like they could be doing this to get back at me somehow. Like I wasn't even involved in any of this when they contacted him. It could just be a coincidence."

"Hopefully,” she said, and Viv wasn’t sure if she was just humoring her. Either way, it was comforting.

"Yeah." Viv hesitated, doing her best to put those worries to the side. "Um, but other than that, just parent... stuff. Dad tried to get me in with a job with Aeon and I had to tell him not to. I'm just glad he listened."

"That's... good." More silence filled the space between them before she cleared her throat. "So."

That anxious tension that had left Viv’s chest was back, her stomach twisting. After a few seconds, feeling awkward, Viv echoed, “So.”

Maddox let out a sigh, seeming to gather herself, and with a calm, serious,  _ purposeful _ voice she said, "Are you sure about what you said before?"

Viv breathed out a laugh, unable to mask her surprise that she'd even ask. Uncrossing her arms, she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. "Yeah. Of course I'm sure. I figured you would have been able to tell. For a while."

"I'm..." She paused, and when she continued her words were very careful. "I'm willing to... explore the possibility. Of us being in a relationship. But, my job has... has led to some burned relationships in the past. And I don't want that necessarily to happen with you?" It wasn't a question, not really, but the way she said it made it sound like one. The way her uncertainty canted her voice. 

Viv still didn’t feel better. She didn’t feel  _ good _ about the way Maddox said it, how cautious she was. But she also didn’t understand. "Burned how?" she asked.

"Well, there'll be times at three-thirty in the morning when I get a call and I have to go to Hawaii for two weeks. And then I'll have to go to Washington. And then I'll have to go to Seattle,” Maddox said, frowning as her words came out in an agitated rush.

"I know,” Viv said softly, gently, all too aware of how often she was called away from Chicago.

"It's... Everyone says they're okay with it at first," she said, and that agitation gave way to a weariness, to something sad and bitter. "And, if we take it slow, I'm willing to try and see how it works." 

"Okay. That's..." Viv smiled, a little embarrassed, but also desperate to reassure her. "That's more than I was expecting, honestly. I... I know that you have to leave at a moment's notice. Like, I've known you for a while now and... I get it." She let out a sigh, holding up her hands in a helpless gesture. "And weird shit happens to me too. I know it's not going to be normal. I don't think anything in our lives is going to be normal.” And, with all the earnestness she could muster, “But, I still want to give it a try."

Maddox searched her face, reading her expression --her mind? no, probably not-- and after a moment she softened. The guarded way she’d composed herself eased a little, and something not-quite a smile tugged at her mouth. Then, when Maddox reached for her and she went, eager, Viv finally felt hope.

They hugged, but this time wasn't like before. This time, instead of pulling away, of there being an unspoken barrier between them, they stopped to look at one another, silent and cautious for the length of a breath, before they met for what would be the first of many kisses.

It was careful --everything about this, from Maddox, was so  _ careful _ \-- and Viv made sure to follow her lead, taking it slow like she asked. But it was so,  _ so _ difficult. A giddy rush swelled up in her chest, heart pounding as for a moment she wasn’t sure what to do with her hands. But then Maddox cupped the back of her head, tugged her closer, still kissing her, and it seemed so obvious that she should just wrap her arms around her waist. 

This was happening. This was  _ actually _ happening, and she was ecstatic and her mind was spinning over what she should  _ do _ or  _ say _ and under it all was a buried fear that she’d somehow screw everything up. But most of all she was overtaken by fingers in her hair, a hand pressed between her shoulders, soft lips and the taste of coffee. 

Viv was the first to tip her head away, taking a moment to catch her breath. “I… uh. Wow. Um.” 

She was trembling. 

“Are you okay?” Maddox asked, pulling away a little. Viv was reassured by the color that had risen to her cheeks, highlighting her freckles, and the slight breathiness to her voice. Oh, she’d never heard her sound like that before. That was...

Viv let out an awkward laugh, glancing down between them before meeting her eyes again. “Yeah, I think it's just the, ah, adrenaline? I'm just… Happy and nervous at the same time and I knew that this is what I wanted and now I'm kind of not sure what to do and I'm rambling like an idiot and--”

She was silenced abruptly with another kiss. “You're not an idiot,” Maddox said, tucking some hair behind her ear and cupping her cheek. “And don’t… don’t  _ worry _ , okay? I’m used to the rambling when you get like this.”

“This?” Viv asked, huffing a laugh, torn between embarrassment and affection at that reminder that she  _ knows _ her. That they’ve been friends for months now and that hasn’t changed just because their relationship is… different.

“Overwhelmed,” she said, smiling. “Do you want to sit down? Take a minute?”

“No!” she blurted out, startled by her own insistence. “Sorry, I’m… No. This is… this is good.” Viv gave her a gentle squeeze for emphasis, holding her gaze. “I’m really happy that you… didn’t say no. That you’re giving this a chance. I know  _ why _ you need to leave, so--”

Maddox didn’t let her finish that thought --that reassurance that she wouldn’t hold the traveling against her, that she’d wait because she knew that she was helping people, taking care of dangerous murderers and putting her life on the line for it. No, she pulled her in for another kiss, rougher this time, not so careful, and Viv melted. The words for what she wanted to tell her flitted away with the last of her uncertainty, replaced in her mouth by the tentative swipe of Maddox’s tongue.

There wasn’t time for talking until later, much later, and Viv was glad that there were places that delivered food after midnight in Chicago. ‘Taking it slow’, it seemed, didn’t apply to everything.


	4. After the Gran Ballo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Also set during Interlude 2, a few weeks after Viv and Maddox start dating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the whole story for the game in the [Main Story Masterpost](https://chronicdelusionistsart.tumblr.com/post/162450047694/darkness-in-the-windy-city-masterpost).

It wasn’t until Viv was on her way up the stairs, after she and Paige and Neil had decided  _ against _ getting in touch with Maddox, that she remembered what her girlfriend had told her. Asked of her. “Let me know you’re safe,” she’d said, when she called Viv before she’d left for the Gran Ballo.

She could hear the muffled voices of Neil and Paige as she reached the top of the stairs --Neil hadn’t looked very good when they’d gotten home, she hoped that he was talking to Paige about it-- and, not wanting to accidentally eavesdrop, Viv hurried to her room and shut the door. It was after one in the morning, according to her phone, and she hesitated for a moment before texting her girlfriend. It was late, but she’d  _ said _ that she wanted to know--

Well, there was no point in putting it off. Maddox had asked, and of course she was going to do it. If she was asleep then she’d just see the message in the morning.

1:07AM [Viv]: We just got back. We're safe, but I need to talk to you in the morning about what happened.

Viv set the phone down on her bed and pulled off her glasses, rubbing at the indentations on either side of her nose as she closed her eyes and drew in a long, slow breath. Tonight had gone nowhere near what they’d expected, and sifting through the prophetic drawings that Dalton Kempton had left behind had her feeling something close to shame for not having thought to look at them  _ before _ going to the party. If she’d found that image, she can’t imagine any of them would have agreed to go, no matter how Jenkins would have felt about having his invitation rejected.

Viv’s phone buzzed before she could follow that train of thought any further.

1:08AM [Maddox]: Is everything alright?

No. Things weren’t alright. But Maddox was awake and at that moment, more than anything, she wanted to hear her voice and tell her what happened. No doubt that once word hit the right circles that she’d know about what had crashed the Gran Ballo soon enough. It was, after all, her specialty.

So she called her.

Maddox picked up after a single ring. “So what happened?” she said in lieu of a ‘hello’, concern plain in her voice.

"Um... There..." She sighed, trying to figure out where to start. "It was weird. There's lots of other things but they're not important right now.” Things like bumping into Knight, confirming without a shadow of a doubt that he was a ghoul. Encountering that vampire that Paige had mentioned from before, the one who had injected herself into their telepathic link. Speaking to the Prince, whose last name was Alexander and who Viv was worried was related to Jacob, though she wasn’t sure if that was  _ good _ or very,  _ very _ bad. Her tone was flat as she ran through the pertinent details. “We were talking with Jenkins and the lights went out, and we heard screaming and the door was locked. And we got out. I somehow opened a passageway through the Hedge and got us back to the house.”

Maddox was silent as she listened.

“We're fine,” Viv added, quick to reassure her. “We looked through Dalton's pictures and one that we found had the three of us, a bunch of blurry figures, and then a straight-up copy of... fricken Jason from the horror movies. We think there might have been a Slasher there."

_ That _ got an immediate reaction, as Maddox dissolved into shocked stutters before she managed a, "And- and you're fine."

"We're fine, we're fine, I got us out,” she repeated, her heart giving a lurch, feeling guilty for worrying her. Maddox breathed a sigh --of relief? of resignation? "I wasn't sure if you'd want to know now. If it would be better for you to try and find them sooner rather than later, but that place could be swarming with vampires. I don't know if it's safe."

_ Safe _ . As if Maddox’s  _ usual _ work of hunting down supernatural serial killers was ‘safe’. But the last thing Viv wanted was to send her girlfriend into territory that hostile. She’d even considered, down in the basement when she and the others first got home, not telling Maddox at all. At least not until morning. But like she’d admitted to Paige and Neil, she was worried that Maddox would be angry with her for not telling her as soon as possible. She would give her the information, and could only hope that Maddox would choose the safest course of action.

“You're right,” Maddox said, to Viv’s immediate relief. “There was a lot of buzz on the..." She trailed off for a moment, sounding almost embarrassed. "I was listening on the police scanner." 

Despite everything, Viv couldn’t help but smile, letting out a pleased sound.

"You know, just in case,” Maddox added, quietly. She hesitated, sounding like she was trying to think of more to say, but Viv spoke up first.

"I know it's late, but do you want to come over?" she asked, quiet and hopeful. She got the feeling they could  _ both _ use the comfort of each other’s company.

"Yeah. But I'm going to have to go early in the morning."

Of course. With a Slasher out there somewhere she’d have to. But she’d be happy just to have her there, even for a few hours of sleep. “I know.”

Viv changed into pajamas --shorts and a tank top-- and went to wait for her, sitting on the foot of the stairs in front of the door. The dim light of the streetlamp outside filtered through the windows, just enough to see by. Their house was at the end of the road, so twenty minutes later, when she heard the sound of a car and caught the flash of headlights, Viv knew it was Maddox. She stood up when the car door opened and shut and by the time the front gate creaked Viv had the door unlocked and was opening it to meet her.

Maddox looked harried, an overnight bag slung over her shoulder and her hair coming out of her ponytail in wisps, but the moment she caught sight of Viv her expression softened, flooding with relief. Once she was inside she gathered Viv into a hug, sighing and squeezing her tightly. 

“I told you it was a bad idea,” Maddox said, whatever edge might have been to her words dulled by the kiss that followed after. 

“Because of the vampires,” Viv protested weakly, leaning against her. “No one could have guessed a Slasher would crash the party.”

“You’re lucky that you made it out of there okay.” She let Viv go, sighing and rubbing her face before meeting her gaze through the dark. “You said… you opened a path through the Hedge?”

Viv had felt an annoyed defensiveness when Jenkins had had his outburst about their trip through the Hedge --spurred, no doubt, by fear-- but when Maddox asked her question she had an uncomfortable twist of guilt in the pit of her stomach. “Yeah,” she admitted. “We were locked in that room and at the time I really didn’t want to know what was scaring an entire party full of vampires.”

Maddox was quiet, a furrow forming between her brows as she considered. If she disapproved of Viv’s choice, she didn’t say so. “How?”

“Neil had a glass of wine, so I just sort of… copied what I saw the changelings do when they opened a door to the Hedge. I dumped it on the floor and tried a few things and then it was just…  _ there _ .” Feeling uneasy, Viv glanced away. “I still can’t really remember it, but I know I’ve been in the Hedge before, when I was a kid. And, honestly, I can barely remember this time. Time in there was weird.”

More silence as Maddox regarded her. Then she let out a sigh of resignation, shaking her head and reaching up to brush her thumb across Viv’s cheekbone as she cupped her jaw. “Everything is always so  _ strange _ with the three of you. I’m just glad you’re alright.”

They went upstairs, careful to be quiet as they reached the second floor, though if Paige and Neil were still awake, Viv couldn’t tell. She couldn’t hear anything. Once in her room, she didn’t bother with the bright overhead light, but turned on the bedside lamp. Maddox put her bag on Viv’s desk chair and opened it so she could change. 

“I’m really glad you’re here,” Viv said, sitting cross-legged on her bed while her eyes flicked from Maddox to literally anywhere else in the room, knowing her girlfriend didn’t mind her watching but still feeling a bit of a voyeur, even with permission. “I know you could have gotten more sleep if you’d stayed home, but--”

“Viv, it’s fine,” Maddox said. Shimmying out of her pants, she pulled on a loose nightshirt and turned to look at her as she pulled her hair out of its ponytail. Hesitating, that little crease formed between her brows before she admitted, “I… I wanted to see you. I was worried.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” Viv held out her hand, beckoning her over, looking up at her as she did so. But as Maddox opened her mouth (probably to tell her not be sorry), she froze, her eyes flicking down towards Viv’s outstretched arm. “What is it?” Viv asked.

“When did this happen?” she demanded, grasping Viv’s hand and tilting her arm down, moving it toward the lamp. It took Viv a moment to realize that she was looking at a bruise, a dark blotch against pale skin. Had she been too preoccupied earlier to notice it? “Did someone hurt you? You didn’t mention anyone hurting you.”

“No, no, there wasn’t anything-- None of the vampires touched us it wasn’t--”  _ Bright green, thorny vines, twisting and coiling and trying to draw them in. _ “It was the Hedge,” Viv said, squinting and staring into the middle distance as she tried to remember. “The vines in the Hedge did this, I think.”

“You’re not sure?”

“It’s hard to remember…”

Maddox just looked at her, whatever was going on in her head expertly hidden. Viv hadn’t been lying when she told Paige she thought that Maddox was harder to read than Neil sometimes. “Are you sure you’re alright?” she asked with a sigh.

“I’m better, now that you’re here,” Viv said quietly, and that was enough to ease some of the tension from Maddox’s face. When she squeezed her hand and tugged her towards the bed, she climbed on next to her, pausing for a kiss before settling beside her.

“So, what did Jenkins want?” Maddox asked, pulling Viv’s hand into her lap. “Tell me everything.”

So she did.

When she was done, and Maddox had asked her questions, they curled up together and slept.


	5. That 3 AM Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That scenario plays out, where Maddox gets a call at 3 AM to fly across the country.
> 
> (Technically this didn't happen in game, but this might as well be canon for some point in their relationship.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the whole story for the game in the [Main Story Masterpost](https://chronicdelusionistsart.tumblr.com/post/162450047694/darkness-in-the-windy-city-masterpost).

Viv wakes to the sound of buzzing; the steady, rhythmic pulse of a phone vibrating against a hard surface. For a moment she thinks the worst --who else could that be in the middle of the night except Neil and Paige with word of some  _ new _ horrible thing they need to deal with?-- but after a moment, after her heart has already started pounding, Viv realizes that the sound is coming from the other side of the bed. From Maddox’s side.

“What’s wrong?” Viv asks, sitting up and groping blindly for her girlfriend. 

But Maddox is already rolling over and reaching for her phone, silhouetted by the harsh light of the screen before she answers it, raises it to her ear, and it goes dark. “This is Maddox,” she says in what Viv thinks of as her ‘agent’ voice, which just makes her heart sink.

She watches Maddox as she pushes the covers off of herself, swings her legs over the side of the bed and sits up. Crawling up behind her, Viv rests a hand on her back and bites the inside of her lip as Maddox bows her head forward and drags her fingers through her hair, nodding to herself and answering the voice on the other end of the phone with clipped affirmatives.

“Yes sir. I’ll leave right away,” she says, hanging up and frowning down at her phone with a sigh of resignation. The screen turned back on the moment she pulled it away from her ear, and the glow is casting bright, greenish light up towards her face. Brow furrowing, she tilts her head just enough to give Viv a sidelong look. “Duty calls.”

Viv’s stomach twists with worry, and more than a little disappointment and even annoyance. “Where are they sending you?” she asks quietly, rubbing the sleep from one eye and doing little to help her blurred vision without her glasses.

“Portland,” she says, putting her phone down on her nightstand and turning on the bedside lamp. Her body tenses and she leans forward to get out of bed, but then she stops herself, turning instead to face Viv. There’s an apology in her eyes, a look that catches Viv off-guard because usually if anyone is apologizing it’s  _ her _ , not Maddox. “Viv--”

“At least it’s not Alaska,” Viv interrupts, tipping her head to the side and giving Maddox a half-hearted smile. She’s pleased to see her mouth twitch up at the corners and that sorry look on her face smooth away. Taking Maddox’s hand, Viv squeezes it gently. “How, uh, long do you think you’ll be gone?”

She squeezes back. “Depends on how long it takes me to find my guy.”

“So, like, tomorrow?” she says hopefully, doing her best at a cheesy grin.

Maddox huffs a laugh, reaching out with her free hand to catch the back of Viv’s neck. “I appreciate your confidence in my abilities,” she says, leaning forward to kiss her. Viv presses back against her, desperate to take advantage of this moment together, and lets out a soft, breathy whine when Maddox pulls away to meet her eyes again. “And I’ll do my best.”

“Okay…”

Maddox hesitates, searching her face, and not for the first time Viv wonders if her thoughts are just plain on her face or if maybe she’s reading her mind. “I’d stay if I could,” she promises, and it’s enough of a reassurance to make Viv smile, just a little. “Do you… Do you want to stay here? Or do you want me to take you home? It’s on my way to the office.”

The thought of staying in Maddox’s apartment without her there is strange. On one hand, Viv appreciates the  _ trust _ she must have in her to offer, but on the other, her absence would just feel that much heavier. “I get to see you a little longer, if you take me home.”

Looking away, surprised and maybe a little embarrassed, Maddox smiles down at the floor. “I guess that’s the silver lining.”

With their choices made, the two of them get dressed and gather their things before heading out into the cold, wet air.

The way the world feels at three AM is a kind of liminal space; an unsettling time where it’s not quite night any longer but still not morning, and almost everything is asleep. They shouldn’t be out at this time, something about it doesn’t feel  _ safe _ , which only makes Viv worry more than she already is. She clutches Maddox’s hand the entire drive home, ignoring the quiet electronic music that plays in the middle of the night on Maddox’s favorite station instead of their normal library, doing her best not to voice her anxious thoughts and desperate wishes to be back in her girlfriend’s bed, cuddled close and warm and safe.

Maddox squeezes her hand and Viv remembers that she could very well be hearing all the thoughts she’s trying to keep at bay. 

Maybe that’s why, when they pull up to the house, Maddox shuts off the car and gets out to walk her to the door.

“I know you need to hurry, you don’t need to do this,” Viv argues weakly, her heart not really in it as she circles the car and reaches for Maddox’s hand.

“I want to,” Maddox says. “They can wait a couple minutes.”

“Living dangerously, probably even disregarding the  _ rules _ . What would they say if they knew?” Viv says, half teasing and half curious as they walk through the backyard, past the detached garage towards the back door. Her shoes are squeaking on the wet grass.

“It’s not the first time I’ve ignored the rules for you,” she says, with a certain gravity that sobers Viv’s attempt at lightening the mood. “And I’m sure it won’t be the last.”

Viv wonders if she’s talking about the time in the forest, when Maddox let her and her friends go before VASCU descended upon the campsite to scrub it clean, but she gets the feeling it’s more than that. But it’s the last thing she wants to worry about right now as they climb the pair of steps up their back porch, that much closer to their destination and inevitable goodbye.

When they reach the door, Viv doesn’t bother to hesitate; she lets go of Maddox’s hand so she can hug her, holding her tight and sucking in a deep, shaky breath. “Please, please stay safe,” Viv says, her voice muffled by Maddox’s shoulder.

Sighing, Maddox pulls her close, cradling the back of her head with one hand and pressing their cheeks together. “I’ll do my best. It’s worked well for me so far.”

“Don’t say ‘so far’.”

“Try not to worry.”

“That’s so dumb, of course I’m going to worry.”

Maddox lets out a soft laugh, pulling back enough to catch Viv’s eye. “I’m going to find him,  _ stop _ him, and come right back. To you. I promise.”

Viv stares up at her, silent, a deep furrow between her brows.

“I promise, Viv.”

After another long moment, Viv nods, breathing out a long, slow exhale. “Okay. Okay, I trust you.”


	6. Quiet Night In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set in the downtime between the NYC trip and Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the whole story for the game in the [Main Story Masterpost](https://chronicdelusionistsart.tumblr.com/post/162450047694/darkness-in-the-windy-city-masterpost).

“Okay guys, I think that’s where we’re going to stop for today.”

Cyborg snapped his notebook shut and was met with good-natured grumbles and complaints from the others gathered around the kitchen table. Reaching forward to fold up his dungeon master’s screen, he laughed and flashed them a bright smile, looking pleased with himself.

“A cliffhanger? Come  _ on _ , man,” Paige protested, leaning forward on her elbows and smacking a hand on her character sheet. “It’s only six. We’ve got all night!”

Neil, beside her, was already flipping through his player’s handbook. “We  _ did _ level up this session, though. We should do that before our next combat; I have to pick some new spells.”

“Oh, you’re right, we did,” Viv said, a small crease forming between her brows as she looked down at her own character. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, she reached for her own handbook. “I think… Oh, isn’t this the level where we pick a specialization…?”

“We can go over that stuff before next game,” Cyborg said. He stood from the table and started packing up his things, shoving a bag into his backpack with the familiar rattle of dice. “Which, uh… I guess Christmas is next week so we won’t be playing again until after the holidays.”

“What’s got you rushing off so early?” Paige asked, resting her chin in her hand and arching a brow. “Got a hot date or something?”

_ That _ piqued the group’s interest; if nothing else, Paige, Neil, and Viv were all horrible meddlers, and Cyborg had something of a reputation of bad luck with dates. Maddox, on the other hand, stacked her notebook and dice and got up from the table to go refill her drink.

“Maybe,” Cyborg said, shrugging his shoulders. “Maybe not.”

“Well it’s one or the other,” Viv insisted, eyes narrowing just a fraction as she scrutinized him.

Neil leaned back in his chair. “You don’t want to tell us?”

“C’mon, we’re your friends!” Paige added.

Cyborg remained silent, an amused smile tugging on the corner of his mouth. As the three of them continued to prod him for details, Maddox set her glass on the kitchen island and rolled her eyes.

“You know, his love life --or lack thereof-- isn’t anybody’s business,” she said, regarding them cooly.

“Uh, thanks,” Cyborg said.

“Sure it is,” Paige said. “We’re his friends. You know, if you need any help…”

“Uh huh.  _ Help _ ,” Maddox said flatly, her eyes shifting from Paige to Viv. “You mean like how you  _ helped _ Viv.”

Viv blushed, hiding her smile behind her hand and remaining silent.

Paige kicked Viv’s shin lightly under the table, making her laugh. “Yeah, exactly. Constant teasing until people just finally  _ do _ something is exactly how we work.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll pass,” Cyborg said with a chuckle. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he gave the four of them a flicked salute with his fingers, and a nod towards Maddox. “You guys have a good night.”

“You too,” Paige called after him, waggling her eyebrows suggestively towards his back.

Viv followed Cyborg to the door to lock it after him, then went to the kitchen to stand with her girlfriend. Maddox smiled at her, putting her arm around Viv’s shoulders and pulling her closer. Paige and Neil were talking to one another quietly as Neil put away his things, and Viv felt a momentary, sinking feeling of dread over what those two might be whispering about. More teasing, maybe? Plotting something about Cyborg?

“Hey,” Paige said, turning towards Viv and Maddox. “We’re gonna go out to dinner.”

“Oh, okay,” Viv said, relieved.

There was a pause, where Paige glanced to Neil and then back to Viv, something uncertain flitting across her face before she added, “Uh, you guys can come if you want…?”

“Oh, I--” Viv glanced at Maddox. “Did you want to--?”

“No, let’s just stay here. I could really use a quiet night in,” Maddox cut in quickly, squeezing Viv’s shoulder. “Been a busy week.”

“Right, of course,” Viv said, quick to agree as she flashed Maddox a bright smile, eager to please. But when she glanced back at Paige and Neil, that smile faltered.

Paige’s grin was smug, and the look that Neil gave her as he put his arm around Paige was knowing. Almost  _ predatory _ .

“Uh huh,” Neil said, somehow managing to keep a straight face. “‘Quiet’ night in.”

“Alone. Together,” Paige added.

“They’re going to be gross. Probably hold hands.”

“Maybe even  _ kiss _ . Scandalous.”

“These insatiable kids.”

Maddox rolled her eyes, giving Viv a reassuring squeeze as she covered her burning face. “I’m older than both of you.”

“I  _ hate  _ both of you,” Viv grumbled, muffled by her hand.

“You don’t,” Neil said.

“You love us,” said Paige.

Viv let out an unintelligible groan.

Perhaps as an act of mercy, Neil and Paige finally rose from the table to gather their things. Paige shot Viv a quick glance as Neil ushered her out the back door, winking and giving her a thumb’s up. Viv covered her face again, shaking her head as Paige’s laughter trailed off outside, only to be silenced by the door closing behind her.

“You know, if you didn’t react so strongly, they wouldn’t tease you,” Maddox said when they were gone, letting go of Viv’s shoulders to circle around in front of her. When Viv lowered her hands from her eyes, she found her girlfriend there, smiling at her as she tucked Viv’s hair behind her ear. “You’re beet red.”

“I knooow,” Viv whined, leaning into Maddox’s hands. Maddox pulled her closer, into a hug, letting out a soft laugh as she kissed Viv’s temple. After a moment, Viv sighed. “Do you want me to cook something?”

“We can just order takeout.”

“Are you sure?”

“Mhm,” Maddox hummed, pulling away just enough to catch Viv’s eye. She smiled. “So. They’re going to be gone for a while.”

“They are,” Viv said, unable to resist smiling back. She tipped her head up to kiss her.

“You know what this means…”

* * *

“That’s the  _ third _ infraction this episode,” Maddox said, ticking them off on her fingers. She and Viv were wrapped up in a blanket on the couch, cuddled together in their pajamas, empty takeout containers discarded on the coffee table in front of them. (Chinese. Maddox had even eaten the ‘decorative’ broccoli that had served as a divider between Viv’s chicken and her chow mein.) Maddox went on to describe the exact rule that Mulder had broken as Viv listened. She didn’t normally talk during movies or shows, but the X-Files was an exception.

They’d been working through the show gradually, whenever Maddox was home and they had time to just sit and relax, which wasn’t always often. Sometimes they watched it at Maddox’s apartment, on her TV, or in Viv’s bedroom on her laptop. But this time, with Neil and Paige gone, they had the living room --and more importantly, the big TV-- all to themselves.

“Maybe the rules were different back in the nineties?” Viv asked, doing her best not to smile. 

Somehow, Maddox managed to look stern while dressed in an old, ratty Metallica t-shirt. “No. I checked.”

That cracked Viv’s already crumbling facade, grinning as she laughed and rested her head on Maddox’s shoulder. “Of course you did,” Viv said, hugging her. Her passion for the show --and her fact checking-- was honestly adorable. “Did you look into it before or  _ after _ you became an FBI agent?”

“Before,” she said. “Why are you laughing?”

“You  _ nerd _ ,” she blurted out, pulling away to look at her again. Maddox looked bemused, but was smiling at least. “Okay, okay, you have to tell me. Is  _ this _ why you became an agent?” Viv gestured to the TV.

Maddox didn’t answer, blue eyes darting towards the television and then back to Viv. After a second, she leaned over to kiss Viv, then said, “Watch the show. You’re missing the big reveal.”

“Oh no, I’m much more interested in  _ this _ big reveal,” she insisted, sitting up a little straighter, searching her face intently. “You joined the FBI because of X-Files, didn’t you? And here you are, hunting down the supernatural--”

“The supernatural wasn’t until later, I can assure you--”

“Come  _ on _ , admit it. I need to know.”

“I can’t have enjoyed X-Files and joined the FBI for entirely different reasons?” Maddox asked, infuriatingly impervious to Viv’s prodding as she gave a placid smile.

“Worst girlfriend,” Viv said quietly, leaning in closer, dropping her voice as their noses were close enough to touch. “You won’t even tell me the truth.”

“The truth is out there,” she countered, smirking. “And why would I do that, when teasing you is so much more fun?”

Oh? Is that how it was going to be?

Viv closed the short distance between them, kissing Maddox with a heat that she hoped was disarming. She was pleased by the startled sound that shifted to a sigh as Maddox pulled her closer, one hand buried into her hair as the other grasped her waist. Viv moved to straddle her, cupping her face as their kiss deepened, and she opened a telepathic connection between them.

The surface thoughts were always the first to come to her. Which, right now, were…  _ Oh _ , very quickly leading towards the bedroom and-- What was she looking for again? And why did it matter? All that mattered right now was the ache of  _ want _ that stirred inside of her and Maddox’s hand creeping up beneath her shirt and--

_ Your attempt at distractions won’t work, _ Maddox said in her mind, her mouth currently occupied.  _ Not that I  _ mind _ , but it’s just making you sloppy. _

_ Why won’t you tell me? _ Viv pressed, but her question was more of a whine, punctuated by a soft gasp as Maddox grasped her hair and tugged her head back, breaking their kiss to press her lips to Viv’s throat. Oh, this had backfired. This has backfired  _ so _ much.

_ I told you. Because teasing you is more fun. _

_ Meanie. _

_ Am I? _

With that, and with surprising ease, Maddox flipped her over onto the couch, a squeak of alarm from Viv muffled between them. Somewhere in the background Viv was distantly aware of the sound of the end credits music playing, the show all but forgotten as they kissed once again. Not even considering the fact that the telepathic link was still open between them, Viv wished that Maddox would touch her again, reach under her shirt. Maddox quickly obliged, and Viv let out a soft whine.

_ Oh, I love that sound, _ came Maddox’s voice, in a tone that Viv would almost never hear spoken aloud. That was a side-effect --a benefit?-- of using telepathy in times like this. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, things just  _ slipped _ through.

Viv repeated the noise, curling her fingers in the back of her shirt, and Maddox’s grip on her tightened. So caught up in each other, in the telepathy and the thoughts flitting back and forth and the heat between them and hands and lips… All of that was so all-consuming that both of them, despite their cautious natures, completely missed the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

“Viv? Vivian?”

_ Fuck, _ they both thought at the same time, freezing in their  _ very _ compromised position.

After a split second, Maddox pulled her hand out from under Viv’s shirt and straightened, looking over the back of the couch towards the basement stairs. She pushed her hair back out of her face, her expression calm and collected. “Hi Jacob,” she said, unable to hide the breathiness in her voice.

“Oh, Maddox. I was looking for--” Footsteps. Jacob, in all his dignified grace and poise, circled the couch and glanced down to see Viv underneath her girlfriend, blushing darkly, and barely able to meet his eyes. “Ah, there you are. Viv, were we to look over the start of your thesis tonight or tomorrow, I can’t recall.”

“Tomorrow,” Viv said weakly.

“Of course,” he said, not losing an ounce of his composure as he looked from Viv, to Maddox, and back to Viv again. “Well, I apologize for… interrupting. Maddox, always a pleasure. Vivian, I will see you tomorrow evening.”

Jacob turned on his heel and headed back down the stairs. Once he was out of eyesight and the sound of footsteps all but gone, Viv buried her face in her hands and let out a muffled, “Oh my  _ god _ .”

Maddox gripped her shoulders gently, leaning down to kiss the spot of exposed forehead not covered by Viv’s hands. “Are you okay?”

“I’m going to die.”

“I doubt that,” Maddox said, gently prying Viv’s hands away from her face. Viv was nearly glowing she was blushing so hard, but Maddox just smiled and let out a soft laugh. “At least he didn’t walk in about five minutes later.”

“Oh  _ no _ ,” she moaned, giving Maddox a pitiful look. “I… Oh my god, that would have been awful. At least we were still  _ dressed _ .”

“Yeah.”

“...How are you so  _ calm _ ? I have no idea who was more calm there, you or Jacob!”

Maddox, still smiling, leaned down to kiss her, lingering there long enough that some of Viv’s anxiety melted away. Maybe that was the point. But then their kiss started to deepen again, and the hand that strayed to Viv’s side made her flinch. Pulling away, Maddox searched her face, a small furrow forming between her brows. “What is it?”

“Can we… Can we go  _ upstairs _ first?” Viv pleaded, eyes flicking towards the direction of the stairs, even though the couch was in the way.

“You know, it’s not likely that he’ll come back up anytime soon--”

“ _ Maddox _ .”


	7. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some narrative versions of the Viv and Maddox centric scenes in our Valentine's Day Interlude, plus a post-game conversation. Because I am shippy garbage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the whole story for the game in the [Main Story Masterpost](https://chronicdelusionistsart.tumblr.com/post/162450047694/darkness-in-the-windy-city-masterpost).

One moment, Viv was sitting in the backseat of her car, next to her girlfriend,  _ trying _ to sneak a peek at the strange book that Damien (a hunter and member of the Lucifuge they had stumbled upon earlier during their investigation into the  _ ghost _ situation) was reading. It had been small, leatherbound, and distinctly  _ mystical _ -looking and therefore irresistible to Viv’s scientific curiosity. But then the next moment, after skimming over a line, her vision blurred, the world seemed to twist, and she found herself stationary, seated upon nothing but the air, and  _ definitely _ not in the car anymore.

In an almost cartoonish fashion, Viv realized in that split second before falling that she was, in fact, mid air before gravity pulled her gracelessly down onto the hard cobblestones that had replaced the asphalt road. Letting out a hiss of pain and rubbing her backside, she was first struck with the peculiar red light that illuminated the place, not unlike the sky in the Shatter but richer, deeper, and definitely  _ darker _ . Looking up, it was as though she were in a gothic rendition of Chicago, with Victorian-esque architecture, and spindly trees. Even the air felt heavier, more oppressive.

Somehow, she’d managed to teleport herself into the Underworld. She was certain.

“Oh for fuck’s sake, not  _ again _ ,” Viv hissed as she squeezed her eyes shut and covered her face with one hand. This was now the  _ second _ time she’d teleported against her will, and instead of a quartet of befuddled mages in a basement across town, she’d wound up in another plane of existence entirely.

Taking a steadying breath, forcing herself not to panic, Viv pushed herself to her feet and decided that she needed a plan. Surely the others would-- Oh  _ god _ , the others. Neil and Paige had seen her vanish the last time, but Maddox had been right next to her. She wouldn’t freak out. Viv knew her better than that; she’d try to come up with a plan, probably squeeze Damien for answers since it had been  _ his _ book that caused this whole mess.

But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be worried.

Viv knew that in order to (normally) access the Underworld, you needed to create an Avernian Gate, and those were best created in graveyards. So her best bet at this point was to find the nearest graveyard, and hope that the others would do the same. And, thanks to some of her earlier research into Chicago’s history, she knew that there was the Oakwoods Cemetery not far from where she was.

So that’s where she headed.

The Underworld was surprisingly quiet, though certainly eerie, and she wondered if her gun and pepper spray would work there if she bumped into anything unsavory. They didn’t work in the Shatter, and this place had a similar feeling (the streetlights didn’t seem right) so she wasn’t very optimistic. After a few minutes of walking, she turned a corner to find someone standing in the road.

For one brief, fleeting moment of optimism, she thought he was merely thin. A gaunt, pale man in a tailored suit straight out of the 1700’s, crowned with a top hat. But no, the skeletal look to him was because, well, he  _ was _ a skeleton. Dark eye sockets, a fixed pearly grin, a delicate hand that reminded Viv of the display skeletons in her medical labs, whose phalanges were held together by bits of metal instead of… whatever was animating this creature. 

Politely, he tipped his hat to her as she approached. “Good morrow,” he said.

“Uh…” she began lamely, more surprised than she ought to have been, considering the circumstances. “Hello.”

He lowered his hand from his head, gesturing to her with a small flourish. “Awfully strange to see a mortal walking through my realm.”

His realm? Viv wondered briefly if there was some sort of  _ territory _ involved in the Underworld, and if that meant she was in more trouble than she thought. “Not intentionally, I can guarantee you that,” she said, hoping it might excuse her intrusion.

She knew, after a moment of speaking with him further, that he wasn’t actually a skeleton. Or a ghost. Most likely he was some kind of spirit, possibly of death. Whatever he was, he seemed to know a bit about what was going on. He mentioned something about a spirit called an abberith, that had a connection to the huge portal they’d seen earlier, and to whoever had performed the ritual-gone-wrong in the first place. He seemed particularly annoyed with whoever had done all this, declaring it ‘rude’ that the other residents had been taken.

“We’re trying to take care of that,” Viv insisted, hoping to seize this opportunity. She was nowhere near as skilled at getting what she wanted out of people as Neil, but it was worth a shot. “Anything you know, that you could tell me, I would be more than happy to hear.” 

“Well,” the skeleton said, seeming to consider for a moment. “What would you be willing to trade?”

Oh. She’d had good luck with deals with changelings and other fae-related circumstances, but something about the hollow way the skeleton was looking at her left a worried chill in the pit of Viv’s stomach. “We would be returning a bunch of the residents back to the Underworld,” she reminded him, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt at the moment.

“That  _ is _ something,” he agreed, tapping his chin. The dry clink of bone against bone was unnerving. “How about this--” and then with the air of a man making a gracious offer “--six months.”

She felt as though she were missing a crucial bit of information here. “What?”

“Six months. Six months of your life,” he said, and she could have sworn his immoveable smile seemed to  _ widen _ .

How badly did she need this information? How impossible would it be to find on her own? How much did he  _ actually _ know? As the moment stretched on, unable to answer her own questions, she steeled herself and managed to say, “N-no. No.” She fidgeted with the gold and jade necklace around her neck.

“Hmm.” He seemed almost disappointed, not even with her, but himself. As if what he said next was genuine. “Well, then unfortunately I don’t know anything.”

Annoyance flickered, hot, in her chest. “That’s fine,” she said. “We have other people who can help us.”

He scoffed. “Best of luck to  _ you _ , then,” he said, sounding very much like he didn’t mean a word of it as he raised his hat.

As if on cue (maybe it was), an ornate carriage swept up the road, drawn by skeletal horses, and took him away. Good riddance, she thought as she continued her walk to the cemetery.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the last time she saw him. As she reached her destination about fifteen minutes later, she saw him walk towards his carriage in the middle of a row of tombstones, climb inside, and leave behind a furious-looking Neil who was saying something to Maddox. That sent a chill down her spine, but in that moment her fear of whatever the skeleton must have said to them was forgotten as she ran towards them. 

Maddox brushed past Neil and ran to meet her, sweeping Viv up in a hug and breathing a sigh of relief into her ear. Viv allowed herself a moment to feel happy to see her again before the sour look on Neil’s face sobered her as he, Paige, and Damien --trailing far behind-- came to meet them. 

“What happened?” Viv asked, pulling back enough so that she could see Maddox’s face, keeping hold of her. “Did you… Did you talk to that skeleton?”

Neil grimaced.

Maddox’s expression was expertly restrained. “Yes, we needed to find you.”

“I-- Did--” Worry twisting her stomach, Viv glanced at Neil again, his arms crossed and his anger still plain on his face. When she looked at Maddox again, the look on her face hadn’t changed. “Did you make a deal with him?”

“ _ She _ did,” Neil snapped, unable to contain himself as he jerked his chin at Maddox’s back.

Ignoring him, Maddox gripped Viv tighter, giving her a look that was probably meant to be reassuring. It just made Viv worry more. “That’s unimportant,” she said, gentle but firm.

“I--” Viv started, a lump forming in her throat. She knew what the skeleton wanted, the only question was, “How long?”

Maddox’s expression faltered for the first time, wincing ever-so-slightly. Barely perceptible except for the fact that Viv  _ knew _ her. “It’s…”

“He tried to make a deal with me too,” Viv murmured.

“It’s not long.” Maddox hesitated, and Viv could tell she didn’t want to tell her but knew she had to. They’d  _ promised _ to be honest. “Three months.”

“I--”

Three months. In the grand scheme of things, three months didn’t seem like a lot. What was three months out of possible decades of life? But it was still part of Maddox’s  _ life _ . That was time that was taken from her, time that they wouldn’t have together. Three months could mean  _ everything _ . When Paige’s mom had been given three months to live, that time was precious.

And Maddox had given that up for  _ her _ . 

She knew, without a doubt, that she would have made the exact same choice in Maddox’s place, so despite the warring feelings in her chest --being upset at the skeleton, at the choice her girlfriend had been forced to make, at the three months they didn’t have-- she hugged her again. If she’d made the deal with the skeleton, would he have left them alone? Had he gone after her friends --her loved ones-- because she’d been rude? Was this  _ her _ fault?

“So… what are we doing?” Maddox asked, pulling away, collecting herself and drawing them back to the matter at hand. It was enough to pull Viv back out of her own head; she could worry about the deal later. “Where do we go from here? Do we just go back to your place?”

“We go back to our place, we make the beacon, we continue with the plan,” Paige said, speaking up for the first time. She gave Neil --who was still looking frustrated but a bit calmer-- a quick glance. 

Viv, remembering herself, chimed in, “I  _ did _ get some information out of that asshole.” She gestured towards where the carriage rode off. “He said that it- There’s something called an abberith.”

She glanced at Damien, waiting a moment to see if he had anything to add, but he simply shrugged. Figures. He’d been practically  _ useless _ for anything except getting in their way.

“Whoever on our end who tried to create the portal, it’s basically summoned this abberith thing, which is what caused all of this. But you don’t know anything about that?” she pressed, still looking at him.

He shook his head, remaining silent.

Maddox, who was still watching her, spoke up again. “Do you think you could do some kind of research on how we could stop it?”

“Yeah.” Because she’d gotten pretty good at looking into these sorts of things, and, well, she’d refused to make a deal for that kind of information. She  _ had _ to be prepared to dig it up herself, now. And the last thing she ever wanted to do was disappoint her girlfriend. “Yeah, let’s just head back to the house.”

Maddox turned to Damien, her expression hardening with an anger that caught Viv off-guard. She hadn’t been his biggest fan before, but-- Oh. Of course. The whole teleporting thing. “So. Damien. Open the door,” she said, every syllable a firm demand.

“...Alright,” Damien said. It was the only right choice, after all.

At least he brought them all back safely to their world before deciding that they had a handle on the situation, and left in a puff of fire to return to his superiors.

* * *

Things went smoothly after that. As smoothly as they could, anyway. They returned to the house and Viv built the beacon needed to alert the death mages trapped in the Underworld to come and help seal the huge portal currently spewing ghosts all over Chicago. While she did that, the others got to work digging into the research on the abberith --with Viv jumping in to help at the very end after she’d finished putting together the hodgepodge of occult items that looked arguably like a modern art project.

Then, armed with as much information as possible in the time they had, the four of them went to meet with Task Force VALKYRIE. Oddly enough at Maddox’s request. Thankfully, despite their earlier run-in with VALKYRIE, they listened. They’d even agreed not to harm any of the mages that Viv’s beacon was going to call to them. They all had much bigger problems, after all.

And, since Viv was the only one who understood how her beacon worked, she had to go through the portal with a VALKYRIE squad to activate it. Maddox insisted on going with her, for which she was grateful. Going back into the Underworld made Viv nervous enough, but the idea of being anywhere near the abberith was encroaching on terrifying.

But once the plans were in place, VALKYRIE needed half an hour to prepare their soldiers to head into the portal. This meant Viv and Maddox had nothing to do but wait.

They’d found a place, out of the way, on the backside of a military tent where they didn’t have to stare at the oppressive sight of the massive, purple vortex that they’d have to go through soon enough.

Maddox hadn’t said much.

Viv watched her for a moment, then reached for her hand. Maddox glanced over at her, a weak smile flitting across her face, then laced their fingers together. 

“Hey. Are you alright?” Viv asked, quiet.

“I’m fine,” she said, too quickly. Just like she’d said earlier.

“Yeah. Alright…” Viv knew better. She knew that she was uncomfortable, in a situation far outside of her control or ability to provide any real expertise. She’d been dealing with more and more supernatural situations since they’d met, but her field was still Slashers.

Viv squeezed her hand. Maddox squeezed back. For a moment they sat in silence.

But there was something that Viv was desperate to ask her. And now seemed as good a time as any.

“Why…” Her voice seemed unnaturally loud to her own ears, despite the shouts and sounds of VALKYRIE preparing. Maddox looked at her, waiting for her to continue. “Why did you make that deal with the skeleton?”

She looked at Viv for a moment before she glanced down at their joined hands, then met her eyes again. “Simple. I’d rather live  _ with _ you for three less months than I would have than live  _ any _ time without you,” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Viv had no idea what to say. In a word, she was stunned. Whatever she’d expected Maddox to say, even out of the sentimental things she could  _ imagine _ her saying, that was… She hadn’t been prepared for something quite so… intense. 

“O-oh. Um. Wow,” is what she managed in response, for which she’d kick herself later. She felt herself blush, overcome with a sudden welling of emotion. Scrambling for something better to say, her brain failing her in every way possible, she added, “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

Viv hesitated, casting her thoughts back to the start of what was supposed to be their romantic evening, and remembered there was something else she’d wanted to talk to Maddox about. “Um,” she began, then let out a sigh as she collected herself. “I know this is probably a weird time to bring this up, but uh. I don’t know, this whole mess is pretty dangerous.”

Maddox just watched her, waiting for her to continue.

“So those tickets. To Florida. To see my parents.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh. Does this mean we’re not ‘taking things slow’ anymore?”

That question had been haunting Viv for a couple months now, ever since the trip to New York, their last run-in with VALKYRIE, just how  _ worried _ she’d been about her during everything with the angel. Going with her to do Thanksgiving with her parents. Then there’d been the necklace Maddox had given her for Christmas, how much she’d been there for her while Viv was recovering from her time as a vampire. And now plane tickets for both of them for after Viv’s graduation, to go see her family and where she was from. Even  _ with _ knowing that her parents didn’t especially like her. Viv could assume quite a bit from it all, but she wanted -- _ needed _ \-- it spelled out for her.

(She'd realize, later, that giving up part of her life for her had probably been a clearer sign than plane tickets. When Viv, embarrassed, mentioned it to Maddox later, she'd laughed and kissed her and told her not to worry so much.)

Maddox smiled at her, and it made Viv’s heart give a frantic flutter in her chest. “I guess not.”

Viv smiled back, happiness bubbling up inside of her. “Good,” she said. “Because I don’t see anything happening to, I don’t know, to  _ this _ anytime soon?”

Giving Viv’s hand another gentle squeeze, she leaned in a little closer and said, “Neither do I.”

Neither of them seemed sure what to else say. Viv had never done anything like this before, and Maddox had made her point loud and clear. Anything else would just be redundant, and that just wasn’t her style. As romantic as what she’d said was, it had also been straight to the point, which was just so  _ her _ . Sometimes Viv wished she could handle things so easily. Instead she continued to flounder at what to say, how to let her know how much what she’d said meant to her. How much  _ she _ meant to her.

There were so many things she wanted to say but was afraid might be too much. 

Maddox must have noticed her struggling --maybe it was the way she was biting the inside of her mouth, or that her free hand was fidgeting with her necklace, or simply because she just  _ knew _ her-- because she ran her thumb over Viv’s knuckles and said, “Do you wanna…?” This was followed by a quick tap to her own temple and a meaningful look.

She knew that it was easier for them to talk sometimes through their telepathy. The way that their self-filters were greatly diminished, how thoughts and feelings just  _ came _ through in their purest forms. And it wasn’t as hard, sometimes, as saying the words out loud. But Viv wasn’t so sure it was a good idea. Despite Maddox agreeing that they weren’t ‘taking it slow’ anymore, she didn’t want to leap too far forward, no matter how strongly she felt about her. And it was dangerously easy to let things slip.

But despite all that, Viv, looking a bit shy, nodded her head.

Viv felt the connection happen. They’d done this so many times by now, for practice or for fun or because speaking was too difficult or because they were someplace dangerous. It was second nature,  _ comfortable _ , to know that Maddox was there with her in this joint space just for them. 

_ I just… I care about you, _ Viv said, her thoughts carrying across their telepathy.  _ A lot. More than I’ve ever cared about anyone.  _ Then, suddenly embarrassed, and worried that she needed to say something else, something less…  _ vulnerable _ , Viv added,  _ And, I’m glad that you’re going to be with me during this because it’s pretty scary. _

_ I’m glad I can be here for you _ , Maddox replied, but the way that the words felt in her mind, the way that she meant them, Viv couldn’t help but feel like she didn’t mean just  _ now _ or even  _ today _ . That it was so much more than that. 

Viv loved her. She’d loved her for a while now and had been too afraid to admit it to anyone, because what if Maddox still wanted that space? What if she didn’t love her back, and got scared off because she wasn’t ready and how would Viv handle that? She’d never loved  _ anyone _ like this and every time something happened to them she realized it more and more and today-- 

Today she was so ridiculously in love with Sarah Maddox and she wasn’t able to stop herself from letting it slip through in her thoughts.

Realizing a moment too late what had happened, for a split-second Viv began to worry, to try and pull away both physically and mentally. She hadn’t meant to do that. She had tried  _ so hard _ to keep it under control, to let Maddox set the pace. But before she could finish reacting, Viv felt that love echoed back to her.

Maddox let go of her hand, reached out to cup the side of her face, and wordlessly they met for a desperate kiss, her love filling Viv’s mind so completely as they held one another that she thought she might burst. Relief and joy and  _ love _ blocked out all the rest around them, hidden where they were behind a VALKYRIE tent, and the thought of how dangerous what they were about to do was just didn’t matter. (This was so unlike Maddox, to do something like this while ‘on the job’, but it was  _ important _ .)

An alarm cut through the air, loudly and harshly reminding them of the gravity of their situation. With that came the fear, remembering what they now had to do, and the two of them looked at each other, only hesitating for a moment.

“So I think this is it,” Maddox said, letting out a sigh.

Viv nodded, swallowing. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

* * *

“Hey, so guess what I found in the fridge,” Viv said, glass of water in one hand as she opened her bedroom door. Nudging it closed again with her hip, she raised the drink to take a sip but stopped halfway as she looked to where Maddox was sitting on the edge of her bed.

In the chaos of the evening, their plans to go back to Maddox’s apartment for some time alone had long since been abandoned, and for ease’s sake they’d all just come back to the house. Maddox had enough foresight to always have a change of clothes, which had come in handy when they’d found themselves in the middle of this ghost debacle dressed in ancient Roman dress for their date. But she hadn’t packed anything to sleep in and so there Viv found her, dressed in one of Viv’s nightshirts that was just a bit too small.

That was sexier than she thought it would be, seeing her in her clothes, but  _ god _ she was too tired to even consider doing anything about it. Not that she couldn’t admire the  _ view _ …

“Viv?”

Viv blinked, giving a half-shake of her head as she met Maddox’s eyes and felt like she’d been caught. Blushing, she blurted out, “Huh? What?”

Maddox studied her for a second, the corner of her mouth twitching with a hint of a smile as she stood up and took the glass from Viv’s hand. “I asked you what you found,” she said --repeated-- and took a sip. 

“ _ Oh! _ Right. Uh, so I found a pair of hedgefruit in the fridge,” she said, taking the cup back and drinking some herself. When Maddox didn’t seem to quite catch what she was getting at, Viv continued. “Specifically the ones that restore energy, and make it so you don’t need to sleep.”

“...That sounds… useful, I guess? Wouldn’t mind some of that while working a case, but what does--” The look of confusion on Maddox’s face quickly twisted into dawning realization. “ _ Ohhh. _ ”

“Yeeeeeah. Looks like Neil and Paige had some  _ plans _ while I was gone.”

“To be fair, we had our own plans.”

Viv smiled, setting the half-empty glass down on her desk so she could wrap her arms around Maddox’s waist, pulling one another into a weary hug. Sighing and tucking her face against the side of her neck, Viv said, “At least we weren’t going to rely on  _ magical _ enhancement.”

Maddox let out a short laugh. “Is it just me, or does  _ all night _ just seem…?”

“A bit much?”

“ _ Yeah. _ ”

“It’s not just you.”

Viv pulled away to look up at her, affection swelling in her chest at the tender look on Maddox’s face as comfortable understanding passed between the two of them. Then Viv’s smile faltered, regret pulling at the edges. “I’m sorry. I really just wanted us to have a nice Valentine’s Day.”

“It’s not your fault,” she said, giving Viv’s side a reassuring squeeze.

“I know… But--”

“Dinner was lovely, at least,” Maddox cut in, before she could continue. With her free hand she reached up to touch the silver and onyx necklace that hung against her chest. “And this is beautiful.”

Viv smiled weakly. “Too bad it came in handy so soon.”

They were both quiet for a moment, at a loss for what to say. Maddox couldn’t honestly say that it had been a good Valentine’s Day, and Viv would just argue if she’d tried, and besides… The reality of what Maddox had given up hung silently between them. They’d both made choices today and now they had to live with them. Viv could only hope that she never gave Maddox a reason to regret hers.

“Sarah--”

“I love you,” Maddox said, surprising Viv into silence. “I know it… came up before, but I wanted you to hear it. Properly. I don’t want you to have to worry about this, and you know I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.” She paused for a moment, intense and serious, and then after a moment that look melted into something soft and she smiled. Gently, she repeated, “I love you.”

And Viv, exhausted and emotional and not exactly one to be able to contain herself on a  _ good _ day, was so overcome with happiness and  _ relief _ , that her eyes swam with tears. “I love you too,” Viv managed to say. Then, suddenly very aware of herself, she started to wipe at her face. “Oh god, I’m sorry. I’m a mess. It’s been a long night…”

“It has been,” she agreed, smoothing some of Viv’s hair out of her face and kissing her forehead. “We should both get some sleep. There’s just going to be more tomorrow.”

Viv groaned and squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to think about what awaited them in the morning. Between VALKYRIE and Lancaster, and who knew what else… There was going to be a lot of cleanup and people to check on. As she grumbled, Maddox slid out of her grip and turned off the light, plunging them into darkness.

Maddox nudged her towards the bed, but Viv didn’t go, instead fumbling a little in the dark to kiss her. Hugging her, tightly, and because she just needed to hear it again, Viv said, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she replied, with an ease that made Viv smile.

“And I want you to know, that if it had been the other way, if you’d been the one that disappeared. I would have done the same thing.”

Maddox was quiet, and in the dark Viv couldn’t see her expression. Not that it usually gave much away, but she liked to think that she’d learned a lot about reading her over the past few months. But however Maddox felt about what she’d said; if she understood or didn’t, if she was angry or frustrated or sad, or even, in an odd way,  _ glad _ that Viv would do whatever it took to get her back, Viv couldn’t be sure. 

Instead, Maddox kissed her and said, “I know.”


End file.
